39 patients in ICUs across Ireland mark lowest numbers in four weeks

Just 39 people are in intensive care units (ICU) in hospitals across Ireland today (Friday April 22), making it the lowest figure reported in four weeks. 

That's according to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), which also confirms seven new people have been admitted to ICUs in the last 24 hours with five discharges. 

Thirty seven people were recorded as being in ICU on March 11, with a spike of 132 in November 24 2021. 

The number of hospital patients with Covid-19 is also experiencing a decline, with 599 reported at 8am this morning compared to 654 yesterday (Thursday April 21) and 1,610 over three weeks ago. 

Eighty nine new cases in patients have been confirmed in the last 24 hours, with 75 discharges noted. 

The HPSC has also been notified of 1,171 new PCR-confirmed cases of Covid-19 since yesterday. 

A testing positivity rate of 24.1% has been reported today, marking a continual decline from a spike of 45% positivity on March 24. 

It's the lowest rate reported since December 24 2021 when the positivity rate was 19.7%. 

Over 12 million Covid tests have been completed in Ireland so far, with an overall average positivity rate of 13%. 

Six thousand four hundred and fifteen tests have been completed in the last 24 hours.